ST. GEORGE — An elderly driver was transported to the hospital after her vehicle collided with a pickup truck pulling a heavy loader at the intersection of Brigham Road and River Road Monday morning.
At 11:30 a.m., officers and emergency personnel were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection involving a red Subaru SUV and a Ford F-350 pickup truck pulling a trailer loaded with a Bobcat skid steer loader.
Officers arrived to find the Subaru in the middle of the intersection partially blocking both directions of travel on River Road, while the Ford truck and trailer were jackknifed and blocking the southbound lanes of the same street.
Several bystanders were in the intersection redirecting traffic away from the crash and checking on the injured driver of the Subaru. Gold Cross Ambulance was the first on scene and transported the driver to Dixie Regional Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.
The driver of the Ford reported no injuries, St. George Police Officer Andy Mickelson said.
Additional officers were called in for traffic control to relieve the backup on Brigham Road that extended beyond Desert Hills Drive.
At the time of the crash, the Subaru was heading north on River Road and entered the intersection to make a left-hand turn on a flashing yellow light, Mickelson said, while the Ford was heading south on the same street.
The Subaru was struck when it turned directly in front of the pickup truck as it entered the intersection on a green light. The impact spun the SUV around and caused the man driving the Ford to lose control of the truck as it jackknifed with the trailer “loaded heavy with the Bobcat,” Mickelson said.
The Subaru sustained heavy front-end damage, while the damage to the Ford was primarily confined to the driver’s side of the truck. Both vehicles were subsequently towed from the scene. The trailer and skid loader appeared undamaged in the collision.
Mickelson said there were no further details on the extent of the Subaru driver’s injuries available at the scene, adding the driver will likely be cited for failing to yield on a left turn pending the outcome of the investigation.
Failing to yield is one of the leading causes of crashes in St. George, Mickelson said. He added that motorists should remain alert and said when there is a flashing yellow light at an intersection, “it means to stop and wait for the intersection to clear before making a left-hand turn.”
Traffic was impacted for more than 40 minutes.
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Subaru is loaded onto a tow truck and removed from the scene of a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of E. Brigham Road and River Road, St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2020 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Eastbound traffic on Brigham Road is backed up following two-vehicle crash at intersection of E. Brigham Road and River Road, St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2020 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News St. George Police and St. George Fire Department respond to two-vehicle crash at intersection of E. Brigham Road and River Road, St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2020 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Subaru is heavily damaged in two--vehicle crash at intersection of E. Brigham Road and River Road, St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2020 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Eastbound traffic on Brigham Road is backed up following two-vehicle crash at intersection of E. Brigham Road and River Road, St. George, Utah, Feb. 3, 2020 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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